


The Cat in the Window

by Elfy (elfowlgirl)



Category: Thrilling Intent (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Fluff, Gen, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-17
Updated: 2016-02-17
Packaged: 2018-05-21 06:01:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6040879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elfowlgirl/pseuds/Elfy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ashe notices a cat in math class. Oneshot. (Originally posted to Tumblr on March 28, 2015)</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Cat in the Window

It was small, somewhat larger than a kitten but not quite big enough to be an adult, fur so dark brown it was almost black. White covered the area around its mouth, the tip of its tail, and gave it a slight bib on its chest. It lay lazily on the windowsill, occasionally peeking at the students with its bright amber eyes, apparently in the perfect spot to avoid being hit by the torrent of rain falling outside.

Ashe looked around the room as her teacher’s droning continued. Everyone seemed bored to death by the lecture, glancing about in various states of daydreams. Did no one else see the cat sitting just beyond the window?

When she looked at it again, it locked eyes with her, mouth turned into what almost seemed like a sideways grin. They held each others’ gaze for but a moment - Ashe jumped in her seat as the school bell rung, and she briefly glanced at the clock as she, as if on automatic, got up from her seat and began gathering her things.

She caught a glimpse of the window as she followed the flood of people out the doorway. The cat was gone.

—

It continued for several days. The cat would sit on the same windowsill, mildly observing the class, and Ashe would watch it out of the corner of her vision, somewhat afraid that catching its gaze again would scare it off.

“Have you guys ever noticed,” she brought up one day to her friends as they strolled down the stairs together, “a cat sitting outside Ms. Wells’s class?”

“What, like in the hallway?” Gregor asked with the raise of an eyebrow.

“No, on the windowsill.”

“If there’s a cat on campus, I would know,” Dont announced as she bounded in out of nowhere and all but leapt into Gregor’s arms, who proceeded to fumble with his books for a moment as he attempted to catch her.

Kier shook his head. “You would know, of course. Being a cat and all.”

“Not a cat! We’ve been over this, Fiyore! A pigbat!” She pulled the hood of her jacket over her head, ears sewn on top fluttering, and pulled at its laces. The tiny wings on her back flapped.

“…I still don’t get it.”

Ashe and Markus exchanged a look and gave Gregor a sympathetic glance as Dont and Kier began loudly arguing.

“Well, if Dont says there’s not a cat on campus, there’s probably not a cat on campus.” Markus admitted with a shrug.

“I’ve seen it! It’s not like it’s some wild mythos.”

“Yeah, but Ms. Wells’s class is on the second floor. How would it even get up there?”

“Persistence?” Ashe shrugged. “I mean, we all the remember the time you got on top of the -”

Markus covered her hand with his mouth. She glared. “You promised.”

After another moment of glaring, he removed his hand. She stuck her tongue out at him.

“Here!” Dont leaned over suddenly in Gregor’s grasp, and he tilted sideways in an effort to avoid dropping her. She handed Ashe a Tupperware container. “Cats like chicken, and it’s a safe thing to feed to strays. No bones. Try and see if it likes it.”

“Alright…” Ashe inspected the container before giving her friend a smile. “I’ll try.”

—

 _Is that really it? It’s just sitting here, in the parking lot?_ Ashe had been looking for the cat for only a few minutes, but she hadn’t really expected to _find_ it, having not seen it anywhere on campus except in math class.

It looked at her, tail wavering back and forth silently. For the first time, it made a noise. A soft purr, low and unusually fierce. “ _Mrrrr_.”

“Here, kitty, kitty.” she knelt down on one knee, holding one hand out to the cat (careful to keep a ten-foot distance lest she scare it away), and made an attempt to open Dont’s Tupperware container with the other.

“ _Mrrrr,_ ” the cat considered her as she finally got the stupid lid off. She carefully put the box down on its side, the opening facing the cat, and took a tentative half-step back.

The cat looked at the food, then moved towards it a bit, sniffing at the air in curiosity…

…before leaping into the bushes, and leaving Ashe alone.

“Well, that almost worked.” She frowned, standing properly back up and looking at the chicken in dismay.

“ _Mrrr._ ” She glanced up.

The cat had returned, now sitting only three or four feet away from the open container. It held a dead white mouse in its paws, gnawing casually on the mouse’s ear. Its amber eyes darted to the chicken, then to Ashe, then back to the chicken.  " _Mrrrrr._ “

"What?” She picked up the box. The chicken wasn’t raw, it had evidently been cooked, it was now just… cold. She looked back to the cat, who was watching her with an impatient expression. Ashe reached in and picked off a piece of the poultry, before taking a bite of it.

It was cold, but very, very good - most everyone was well aware of Dont’s incredible cooking skills. The cat seemed satisfied by this revelation and took a small bite of its mouse.

They sat there, eating together in silence for a few minutes.

She tilted the box in its direction. “You sure you don’t want any?”

“ _Mrrr_.” The cat nudged the mouse with its nose, then looked at Ashe.

“I’m fine, thanks.”

“ _Mrrr._ ”

She finished the last bite of chicken, and watched the cat, who had also finished the mouse. It stood, bolted forward, touched its nose to hers, and then raced off into the bushes and out of sight.

“…Okay, I’ll give. What the _fuck_ just happened?”

—

While leaving school the next day, she relayed the story of what she’d experienced with the cat to her friends.

“I’ve still not seen this cat you’re talking about, Ashe,” Dont mumbled as she took back her Tupperware. "Though it might just be shy… ”

“What would a cat be doing on campus, anyway?” Gregor asked.

Ashe opened her mouth to respond, but ended up cutting herself off when she saw a girl sitting on a nearby bench as they emerged from the high school.

She had long hair styled in an uppercut, so dark a brown that it was almost black, with purple streaks dancing through it. She wore a black jacket over a blue shirt, short skirt on tights, and a silver amulet hung from her neck. She seemed to be about the same height as Ashe, if not slightly shorter.

“So,” the girl slid to her feet and took a step towards Ashe, voice soft and unusually fierce. “How about a _proper_ date this time?” She tugged on Ashe’s arm. “C'mon. There’s a cafe in town I think you’d like.”

Ashe allowed herself to be dragged off campus. She glanced back at her friends, who were all watching in various stages of confusion, before looking back to the girl. Her eyes were a bright amber, and she gave Ashe an almost sideways smile.


End file.
